28 April 2018. In Vancouver, while researching Japan, Don printed out and gave me a map of Tokyo’s metro and train system. It looked incomprehensible, even though it was in English. Over the years without difficulty I’ve figured out the London Underground, the Paris Metro, the Montreal Metro, even public transport in Istanbul, but Tokyo’s metro and train system looked like something a hyper-active child had scribbled with an entire box of coloured crayons. I’d be lost for sure! My immediate reaction was that I’d never be able to figure it out. Overwhelmed, I barely even looked at it. I put it away out of sight to deal with later. Or preferably never.

Our pre-trip research might have led me to Tokyo’s impenetrable metro map, but it also led me to the Kurayami Festival in metropolitan Fuchu City and going to it immediately became a priority. There is very little information about it online, but I know there will be parades, with taiko drums as big as houses being hauled down the street while men stand on top of them and others on the ground beat on them, and huge golden shrines. To get there looked like a metro trip, and then a train trip, and a change of station, and another train, and then this and then that. I’d punched it into HyperDia and the first of the recommended itineraries said get on at B station going in the direction of X. Get off at D station. Walk six minutes. Get on at M station going in the direction of J, etc. etc. Walk six minutes? What does that mean? Walk in which direction? How am I supposed to know where to walk? And do I need to time myself? And how will I know when I’m there? And what if I walk too fast or too slow?

Thank you Tracey, at Wondering Woman, for telling me about Tokyo Free Guides. For all our research neither Don nor I had discovered this organisation. Tokyo Free Guides (which turned out to be not so free due to the doofus factor) was exactly what I needed.

Day one in Tokyo, right on time at ten in the morning, Osamu, my free guide, is at my hostel ready to take me out for the day. And of course the first thing Osamu and I do is head to Fuchu. He has more detailed maps of the train system and he shows me how they all connect together. We ride the metro and then a couple of trains. He tells me the difference between a local train and a limited express train and how to know which is which. Slowly it all starts to make sense. It’s incredibly detailed, but all the details are available if you know where to look. And Osamu knows where to look.

Tokyo is a city of 38 million people. It’s a number that’s barely comprehensible to me. Tokyo alone has more people than all of Canada. Fuchu City may have once been a separate city, and may still be technically and legally a separate city, but it was swallowed up long ago by the relentless spread of the Tokyo metropolitan area.

In Fuchu we go straight to the Ohkunitama Shrine, which is the spiritual centre of the festival, and on this day, this first day, a week before the festival, the shrine is a quiet and peaceful place. Osamu mentions that he has not been to this shrine for many years and is pleased to be visiting it again.

This young woman hurrying by is a miko. Mikos in the past were female shamans and fortune tellers – shrine maidens who performed spiritual rituals. Today they perform the ritualistic traditional kagura dance, and act as shrine receptionists.

And here a wall of wishes. These small wooden plaques with prayers written on them are called ema. They are left hanging in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples with the hope that the spirits will catch them. I love the images. Some are plain with only words, but others have images of the Kurayami Festival. In other shrines I saw images of birds, dogs, and dragons.

Osamu and I are looking at the ema when suddenly we are alerted to a wedding taking place in the inner courtyard of the temple. What luck to get a glimpse of the traditional ceremony. The bride and groom and their parents are posing for pictures as the guests look on.

Soon they form a procession led by priests and pipers. The bride and groom, sheltered under a large red umbrella,

are followed by their parents and guests.

They leave the inner courtyard and enter the interior of the shrine. They’re gone, but I feel as if I’ve been given an unexpected gift, a lightning glimpse into something special, something uniquely Japanese.

Osamu and I leave Fuchu and go to the Shinjuku neighbourhood where he takes a selfie of us to record the day.

After exploring a little

we eat a late lunch of excellent sushi, and then, having established that I know how to get back to my hostel, we go our separate ways.

What an amazing service. What a wonderful man he is to give up his time to help strangers like me. Afterwards I received a questionnaire from Tokyo Free Guides and at the end was prompted to give a donation, which I gladly did. My plan was to donate 1000 Yen, but I didn’t pay enough attention to all those zeros. Due to the doofus factor I gave Tokyo Free Guides a very generous donation of $120, so not so free after all, but still worth every penny. (There are more stories to come like that – like the one about the $40 cup of tea, but that didn’t happen until weeks later in China).

Shibuya and Shinjuku, two of the most well known areas of Tokyo, come alive at night with crowds of locals and tourists. There are bars and restaurants everywhere and menus are in Japanese and English. On another night I go to both, but my hostel is in Central Tokyo and it’s quiet here. On this night, this first night, I walk a few blocks and find a pedestrian street with a bunch of small restaurants. I have no idea which restaurant to choose or what to order. There are no English menus. I’m feeling a bit lost, and shy: a stranger alone in a strange land. Finally I choose a restaurant for its warm and casual ambiance and walk in. I am shown a menu with pictures. I’m staring at all the pictures with the waiter hovering. The more I stare at them the less sure I am what each dish actually is. The dim lighting, which is part of what attracted me in the first place, doesn’t help. I point at one thinking it looks kind of like noodles. It turns out to be pork; thinly sliced pork in a delicious sauce. Oh well. I wouldn’t normally choose to eat a plate of pork for dinner, but it tastes good and I don’t go hungry.

Back at the hostel I tuck myself into bed, confident I’ll be able to find my way around, and pleased that I’ve managed to walk eleven kilometres over the course of the day with virtually no pain. And enormously pleased that not only can I find my way to the festival, but also that I have information, in English, about the festival schedule. It’s been a good day.

Next posts: More about Tokyo – Sensoji Temple and Harajuku, and Shibuya and Shinjuku at night, and of course the festival.

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57 thoughts on “With a Little Help From a Friend; the first day in Tokyo.”

Sounds wonderful Alison! And the Tokyo Free Guides sounds brilliant, there should be that kind of service in every city/country! That restaurant looks pretty cosy I have to say, glad you had a good meal!

Ooh I didn’t know about Tokyo Free Guides either! In hindsight all the times I got lost in Tokyo gave flavor to the experience but it would have been nice to have a local to talk to. Great first day! Looking forward to reading more.

I love the ema tradition. When I lived in Jaoan for five years, going to shrines and getting shrine specific emas was my preferred form of art collecting in Japan. As you probably learned each temple has its own design whether if it’s buildings or preferred symbology done for each temple and furthermore these change every year so there is a nearly infinite number of emas one can collect. A small unbreakable piece of art.

The recommendation to use the free guides is a really good one as Tokyo can indeed be overwhelming. On our last visit to Tokyo when we got jumbled in the subway, we asked for directions from a man that went out of his way to guide us and put us safely on the right train going out of his way to do so. I always wonder when traveling in Asia and being the recipient of such assistance, how different it may be for a foreigner in the U.S. in the same circumstance.

My favorite photos of yours are the red gates and the interior of the restaurant.

What a wonderful idea to collect the emas! I did notice that each place I went to had emas with an image of that particular shrine or temple. The one at Fuchu had an ema with an image of the taiko drums used in the festival, and another that I don’t understand – it looks like an old person bent over.
I’ve heard so many stories of foreigners being helped by local people going out of their way. I was also helped from time to time in small ways. The only time I was led astray was when I asked a fellow tourist for help, and I always found the station attendants understood enough English to help me on my way. But, yes, having a guide for the first day gave me the knowledge and confidence to head out on my own after that.
Alison

I’ve been so eager to hear how you’re doing! This sounds like just the sort of initially worrisome and ultimately gratifying first day I often have when I travel alone … and not even to places that are so radically different from home! You did it with aplomb and a little help from your new friend.

I had to laugh at the money story because, as you might remember from a past post of mine, I lectured my sister on “paying attention to the zeroes” in Russia, and she rolled her eyes at me. It wasn’t until she got home that she realized she had bought a $1000 fur hat. Ouch!

Thanks Lexie. I think I would have been a mess without Osamu. Having him introduce me to the city, and the transit system was everything! Any aplomb came from that. I was still nervous during the following days but even so I managed to get around. After a while a little aplomb emerged 🙂
$1000 for a hat! Ouch indeed!
Alison

Alison, what a great first day in Tokyo! I love your story about messing up on the zeros, but perhaps the knowledge you gleaned from your guide about the transit system is almost worth the overpayment. It’s wonderful that you caught that wedding and I love the wall of wishes. Thanks for telling us about the Free Guides. I have taken free walking group tours in other cities but never heard of this fabulous one on one service. Caroline

It definitely was a good first day, and I was so lucky to have Osamu to help me. I think if I’d found a guide service for the day for $120 I’d probably have paid it anyway. I really needed it. And the wedding was a surprise bonus that’s for sure. I’ve never done a free walking tour though I plan to in future – they sound like a really good introduction to a new city.
Alison

Good news to hear that you had such a helpful guide! Surprising adventures in the food department!
I was on a partly solo vacation recently in Spain; I was there on the Costa Brava on a rowing tour. I arrived 3 days early to visit Girona, a medieval town during their flower festival, beautiful! My first dinner included a fried egg and fries – I thought I knew the language, Catalan but not so much!
The tour was wonderful-ancient medieval towns Pals and Peralada built in 300 – 800 AD.
I spent 3 days after in Barcelona, which was a bit of trepidation, as it’s common to hear about pickpockets. I kept a good pace and was wary – no problems!
Segrada Família was amazing, and I saw a Flamenco show at City Hall that was second to none.
So, solo travel can be interesting and enjoyable.
I did enjoy time spent with my rowing buddies too, tho!
I’m looking forward to hearing more about your travels in the Orient!
Cheers Pat Durose

Sounds like you had a great trip. We also had no problems in Barcelona as we stayed with a friend who lives there and she took us all over town, and yes, Sagrada Familia is quite extraordinary, and so beautiful!
Lots more to come about Japan and China.
Alison

I loved reading this post. How evocative it was of all that Tokyo is. I have sent it to Ryoko (our Tokyo free guide). She will love reading your thoughts on the service they offer. Can’t wait to read more!

Thanks so much Tracey. Tokyo is so much! Crowds, incomprehensible transit, incomprehensible language, beautiful kind people, and the serene quiet spaces of the temples and shrines, and much more as you well know. I’m pleased you found it relatable as I try to convey something of my experience there. Oh and Osamu, and the guide service – what a godsend!
Alison

Thanks Angeline. I’ve been adventurous all my adult life, but this trip felt like more of a challenge than ever before. I’ll write about that soon. It was a big step out of my comfort zone. Osamu took the selfie. It’s fun isn’t it. I don’t know how to lol.
Alison

Had I traveled in Japan alone, I would have taken a much longer time to understand their complicated train maps. Luckily since kanji is one Japan’s three official writing systems, and as James is able to read it — Mandarin and Cantonese uses kanji for their writing as well — my experience with the transport in Japan was a rather easy affair. Glad you had Osamu to help you navigate the Greater Tokyo area, Alison, and the fact that he was also keen on returning to Fuchu definitely helped. I’m so glad in general things went quite well for you in Japan, regardless of the extra zeros and all. The Shinto wedding costume is very much quintessentially Japanese, isn’t it? Simple and elegant design with minimalist/monochromatic color.

Thanks Bama. (Autocorrect always turns your name into Mama lol). Oh it must have been wonderful to have James there to figure out the transit system! I’d have been really lost without Osamu. He was such a lovely man I think he’d have been happy to show me anywhere, but it was nice that it turned out to be a part of Tokyo that he was pleased to rediscover. I loved the wedding outfits. I saw two others in Kyoto – they were also the same elegant design but more colourful, and yes, quintessentially Japanese.
Alison

It is almost impossible to comprehend a city of Tokyo’s size and I can only be inspired by your example to get out there and not be totally overwhelmed! I’ve seen the metro and train map of Tokyo and would have had the same reaction – quick, put it away until it’s needed. 😁 What a horrific maze but how lucky you were to find Tokyo Free Guides. The idea of a stranger devoting so much of their time to introduce you to their city is amazing. Funny how that “doofus” factor crops up even after years of travel. However, if you unintentionally donated more to Tokyo Free Guides than you’d planned, you can console yourself with the thought that you’ll be helping many more future guests when they visit! Anita

Thanks Anita. The only reason I was not totally overwhelmed was because I had Osamu for a day, otherwise it would have been hopeless I think. And I don’t regret my donation even though it was a mistake. Having a guide for the first day was such a necessity that it was worth it. Oh I have another “doofus factor” story to tell coming up. I forgot two very basic rules of travel – ask the price first, and know the value of the currency. I can only say it was because I was off kilter without Don 🙂
Alison

I would be so intimidated by that metro schedule. So glad you had the generosity of a local to pave the way for you. Your photos are fabulous Alison. I cannot wait to see more. I am afraid the “doofus factor” would be dogging me throughout the trip. 🙂

Thanks LuAnn. I was so glad I had a guide for the first day. It really did make all the difference. Oh the doofus factor – it seems to surface it’s head with alarming regularity lol 🙂 (like the day I went in the wrong direction *three* times)
Alison

What an amazing first day! Osamu certainly was a godsend. Japanese people are often so generous!

Your experience at the shrine sounds incredible. Shinto shrines are interesting, and I still can’t totally grasp them. One of my adult students used to work as a miko during university. She wore the red robes and did the dances for shrine-goers, was paid roughly $100 a day and ate free meals with the priests! This was about 40 or 50 years ago, so it was a pretty lucrative uni job!

It really was a great first day – better than I’d even hoped for. I too found the Shinto shrines interesting, but of course didn’t spend enough time in Japan to even begin to understand them. I found Buddhist temples in Japan far more reserved and “private” than those in SE Asia where you can just walk in and plop yourself down on the floor and meditate any time. Your student’s gig as a miko sounds like a really good deal for those who know the dances. I had no idea they would be students. I guess I thought they were committed to the religion and living in the shrine precincts.
Alison

I’m not sure if her experience is the norm- I was really surprised too! It’s strange to me how an aspect of the Shinto shrines is almost capitalistic in a way. The ema plaques, myriads of good luck charms, and services like the dances are all things that are paid for.

Apparently they are in the Buddhist temples too! I’m fairly sure the emas are, and for sure in China people pay for special prayer rituals with the monks, and at a shrine in Bangkok we saw ritual dances that I’m pretty sure were paid for.
A.

What a pleasure to read….something about your narrative feels centered, even as the confusion mounts. How wonderful that those guides exist! And the wedding…the ceremonial procession has a very familiar look to it, after seeing more than a few Zen Buddhist ceremonies. But I would be so lost, and it feels good to know that you got through the Tokyo maze relatively unscathed.

Thanks so much Lynn. For that first day I *was* centred. It was a really special day. I felt so free. Unfortunately it didn’t last. I was a little off kilter for most of the trip, but still had some amazing experiences. And that day helped make Tokyo, and all of Japan even possible.
Alison

What luck to have been pointed to Tokyo Free Guides and getting shown around a little by Osamu – I wished I could have done the same for you while you were in Hong Kong. The last time I was in Tokyo was on a family trip in my early teens and I distinctly remember getting lost on the metro! We were on our way to Meiji Shrine but ended up getting sidetracked and found ourselves on the wrong colored line altogether… and this was in spite of our ability to read kanji/Chinese characters. As always your people shots are gorgeous.

The doofus factor was present on a recent work trip to Thailand when I tried to exchange the equivalent of 270 Canadian dollars from Indonesian rupiah to Thai baht at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport. The lady behind the counter didn’t say anything except to repeat the word “baaaaaaad” several times. There wasn’t any context and I couldn’t figure out if she was speaking Thai or English. I went ahead with it anyway and it wasn’t until much later that I realized she was trying to tell me the exchange rate was bad – so I only got 140 dollars in return and lost practically half of what I’d given. If only she had enough English to ask me for US dollars instead (I did have some on hand) perhaps it would have all been averted. Then again I should have known to stick with the major currencies instead of the more exotic rupiah. Oh well, lesson learned!

Thanks James. I was so lucky to have found out about TFG and to have Osamu for the day. It made all the difference. I’m sure I too would have gotten lost in the metro without having had his help.
I would so have loved to have met you in Hong Kong! I only had 4 days there but still managed to see a lot. Highlights were walking across Lamma Island, and hiking the Dragon’s Back which I’ll post about eventually.
That exchange rate from rupiah to baht is bizarre! And outrageous. I guess rupiah are just not worth much in Thailand. It seems just about every traveller has to go through some currency issues at one time or another.
Alison